Chapter 39: A Troubled Path and an Unexpected Rescue

The setting sun, a golden disc, hung lazily in the sky, casting a soft, warm glow.

Its light gently caressed the faces of passersby, as if coating them in a shimmering, golden veil.

Upon the water’s surface, the river shimmered with countless playful, twinkling stars.

Reflecting on the green trees, the foliage appeared as though freshly polished, gleaming with vibrant, dewy emerald hues.

At this moment, Ouyang Xiyue, having finished his grocery shopping, strolled slowly homeward.

His expression was somewhat dazed, his mind preoccupied, as he endlessly pondered the day’s events.

The powerful yet stealthy individual remained a persistent source of unease for him.

Though he himself had once discreetly followed someone, it was solely out of concern for Shangguan Yun’s safety, wishing to ascertain the security of her workplace.

Yet, to his utter misfortune, he had managed to lose his quarry.

Nevertheless, these thoughts were swiftly cast aside.

“Alas, time flies, and another day has quietly slipped away,” he mused.

“In the blink of an eye, several years have passed since Father’s death, and I have grown into an adult, capable of living independently.”

“All of this feels like a dream, an illusion.”

“If Father had never left, if those changes had never occurred, what kind of life would I be living now?”

Ouyang Xiyue murmured to himself, his profile etched with sorrow.

His longing for his father and the mother he had never met surged within his heart like a relentless tide.

Years prior, his father had tragically passed away before his very eyes.

At that time, he had been powerless, forced to watch his father endure profound humiliation before departing from him forever.

This pain and guilt had ever since pierced his heart deeply.

He had secretly vowed to stake everything on avenging his father.

Regarding the mother he had never known, though everyone claimed she was no longer of this world, in Ouyang Xiyue’s and his sister’s hearts, their mother lived on eternally.

They remained grateful for the life bestowed upon them by their parents, even if their parents had departed too soon.

During his years in the Saint Spirit Empire, despite the arduous path, Ouyang Xiyue was never truly alone.

He had forged bonds with a group of like-minded companions and found a warm home, affectionate relatives, and numerous trusted friends.

Even more fortunately, he had encountered a powerful master.

His master had not only imparted wisdom on how to conduct oneself but also taught him fundamental etiquette.

Under his master’s meticulous tutelage, he grew stronger day by day, viewing his master as a second parent, the most important relative in his life.

However, recently, Ouyang Xiyue had found himself deeply troubled.

The matter of an arranged marriage caused him endless headaches.

His fiancée was the granddaughter of the current Pope of the Holy Light Church, a formidable organization capable of rivaling the entire continent.

Over the years, his every necessity—clothing, food, shelter, and cultivation resources—had been generously provided by Ling’er’s father.

He understood deeply that he owed a debt of gratitude, a principle his own father had instilled in him from childhood, and one he had always held dear.

Despite his profound internal conflict, he had no other recourse but to agree to the marriage.

After all, life often presented circumstances beyond one’s control, requiring slow adaptation.

What made Ouyang Xiyue even more awkward was his uncertainty regarding whether his intended was ‘she’ or ‘he’.

Superficially, the person was his fiancée.

Yet, upon closer inspection, he discovered that the granddaughter of the current Pope of the Holy Light Church was a ‘lily’ [TL note: a term for a lesbian].

As for him, though outwardly a girl, he was in truth a boy.

To avenge his parents, he had endured immense humiliation over the years, donning female attire and mastering skills such as makeup, etiquette, and dance.

His current predicament truly left him between laughter and tears.

He resolved to conceal his true identity to the best of his ability, planning to reveal it only when the time was right, or when it became utterly impossible to hide.

He hoped to gain the other party’s acceptance, not as a spouse, but as a friend.

In his view, happiness ought to be self-determined.

He merely prayed that his parents’ spirits in heaven would bless him and his sister with peace and safety.

Ouyang Xiyue’s heart was a maelstrom of thoughts, with so much he wished to confide in his parents.

Unbeknownst to him, his eyes had grown moist.

He fiercely suppressed his tears, gritted his teeth, and his gaze sharpened with resolve.

Then, with a gentle swipe of his sleeve, he wiped away the tears at the corners of his eyes, slowly revealing a smile of quiet contentment.

****

Just as Ouyang Xiyue had regained his composure, he caught sight of two suspicious figures in the distance.

They were carrying a burlap sack, which they hastily tossed beside a trash can before swiftly vanishing from view.

A flicker of intuition stirred within Ouyang Xiyue, and he intended to investigate more closely.

However, he found that the two individuals had been remarkably swift, their traces already gone.

He directed his gaze towards the burlap sack beside the trash can, a strange sensation washing over him.

From within the sack, a gentle aura seemed to emanate.

As he drew nearer, the sensation grew more potent.

A horrifying thought flashed through his mind: ‘Could it be a discarded body?’

‘Could the person not be entirely deceased?’

Driven by curiosity, he slowly approached the sack, scrutinizing it from top to bottom.

The longer he stared, the more the contours of the sack resembled a small human form.

Ouyang Xiyue felt a cold sweat break out on his back.

He hastily set down his grocery basket and swiftly opened the sack.

Inside, a small head emerged, drenched in blood, presenting a truly tragic sight.

Ouyang Xiyue’s pupils contracted sharply.

He urgently reached out to check the girl’s breath.

Fortunately, a faint wisp of air still remained; the girl could yet be saved.

From the girl’s blood-soaked hair, it was evident that she was female.

Her face was bruised and swollen, covered in streaks of blood.

Though Ouyang Xiyue had learned basic wound treatment, he had not brought his spatial ring with him today, and his emergency medical kit was stored within it.

Filled with vexation, he could only channel magic first, attempting to alleviate the girl’s pain and staunch the bleeding.

Yet, given the severity of her injuries, perhaps the girl was already numb to pain?

Just as Ouyang Xiyue found himself at a loss, a hand suddenly rested on his shoulder.

He started in alarm, quickly turning his head to see a familiar blue silhouette.

Initially, he assumed it was Night Xuehui, but upon recognizing the face, he immediately tensed.

It was the very person who had been following him earlier today!

Had this individual been trailing him all afternoon?

And he had been utterly oblivious again!

Rage flared within Ouyang Xiyue’s heart.

“Little Sister Xiyue, there’s no need to stare at Big Sister with such caution,” Yiluochen said softly, gazing at the dying girl.

“If we delay any longer, this poor girl will truly be beyond saving.”

“Then do you have a solution?”

Ouyang Xiyue, feeling helpless, could only continue to channel magic into the girl, as it was the only thing he could do at the moment.

“I do indeed have a way to save her, but I won’t act easily,” Yiluochen replied with a smile.

“Unless, Little Sister, you agree to a few conditions of mine.”

Ouyang Xiyue glared at Yiluochen.

At such a critical juncture, with a life hanging in the balance, her ability to smile both angered and vexed him.

“A life is at stake!” Ouyang Xiyue exclaimed, his voice filled with agitation.

“I agree to your terms; other matters can be discussed later!”

Seeing her objective achieved, Yiluochen unhurriedly produced a bottle, extracted a dark, murky pill from it, and placed it into the girl’s mouth.

‘The girl is so badly injured; how will she swallow the pill?’ Ouyang Xiyue worried. ‘Won’t it get stuck in her throat?’

Observing his anxious expression, Yiluochen offered a reassuring smile.

“Don’t worry, Little Sister Xiyue,” she said.

“This pill of mine melts instantly upon entering the mouth, like water, and is easily absorbed.”

“This is a top-grade, seventh-level medicinal pill, capable of regenerating broken bones.”

“For injuries like hers, taking one and resting for a few days should lead to a near-complete recovery.”

“You needn’t channel any more magic; the bleeding has stopped.”

As she spoke, she gently patted Ouyang Xiyue’s shoulder.

“What now?” Yiluochen inquired curiously.

“Having just arrived here, Little Sister, how do you intend to handle this?”

“I’ll take her back,” Ouyang Xiyue declared, carefully cradling the girl.

He glanced at Yiluochen beside him, then pursed his lips.

“Since I’ve encountered her, I might as well see this act of kindness through to the end.”

“Though I still harbor a slight annoyance towards you at this moment, for what transpired today, I am… grateful,” he said.

“I shall take my leave now; you should also return home early!”

With these words, Ouyang Xiyue securely held the sleeping girl in his arms, his figure light as a swallow, and like a swift gust of wind, he rapidly turned back and departed.

Standing behind him, Yiluochen’s eyes revealed a look of certainty, as if affirming, ‘Indeed, I hadn’t misjudged him.’

Her gaze then slowly fell upon the grocery basket at her feet.

Yiluochen gently picked up the basket, her eyes fixed on the distant horizon, where Ouyang Xiyue’s figure had already vanished from sight.

A faint, gentle smile, tinged with a hint of helplessness, curved her lips upwards.

Then, carrying the groceries, she turned leisurely and departed.